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US, UK and India – How the media view change

It has been a disturbing year for me as I have travelled twice to the US and UK in just twelve months and spent months in both places. I find the following things happening in both countries as well as in India. I would like to point it out and my readers can decide for themselves.

1. There is a strange disconnect between the mainstream media and the people in all three places. The liberal left is actually intolerant and slamming the leaders, the armed forces and patriots or nationalists.

2. In university campuses all over the US and the UK the liberals have a major say and the conservatives are feeling the pressure of shrinking spaces for their views and an intolerance bordering on fascism against their leaders.

3. Conspiracies are created by political leaders who are loath to give up power even when in democracies such as the UK , the US and India, genuine voters decide who their leaders should be. The mainstream media is so dishonest and corrupted by being close to the power centres that they blow up the conspiracy theories and alienate the honest voters who want change. In the US, it is conspiracy theories on Russia and the Trump win. In the UK it is Brexit. In India, it is the media and defunct politicians glossing over terror strikes in Kashmir and wanting to have a dialogue by Pakistani supported separatists.

4. The main stream media glosses over terror strikes and the reason behind them and in some cases even justifies it.

A senior journalists will come up with the brutality of security forces in Kashmir when there is no such thing. Worse the journalist will speak of it at a session in the US where Americans are the target audience. The 18 Indian soldiers who were killed in their barracks by Pakistani terrorists will not find any mention. Nor would they bother to condemn the thousands of Kashmiris pelting rocks on a few security men trying to keep the peace. But when the security forces react with pellet guns these journalists will visit the stone-pelters in hospital as victims of pellet guns.

This biased view then goes around the world and our policemen and security forces are made to look like ogres and Pakistan can go to the UN and say even Indian reporters are saying that Kashmiris are treated badly.

This is how dangerous our media is. They will make peace with the devil to make the present government look bad and help Pakistan to make a case against India.

Former CIA station chief in Islamabad, Kevin Hulbert writing in Cipher Brief, a website for the intelligence community, states, says, “With a failing economy, rampant terrorism, the fastest growing nuclear arsenal, the sixth largest population, and one of the highest birthrates in the world, Pakistan is of grave concern.. while Pakistan is not the most dangerous country in the world, it probably is the most dangerous country for the world.”

But some of our own journalists make the Indian state look bad and prop up Pakistan. Such is their thought process. No wonder some get accolades from big time terrorist Hafeez Sayeed for their reporting on Kashmir.

Soon some newspapers in the mainstream print media of the country will have to deal with falling readership and advertising as will the Guardian in London, the New York Times, Washington Post. Their reporting is biased with a clear agenda: dig up dirt on the President of the US and get him impeached. Today, I heard on Fox News that the Clinton Foundation together with the Soros Foundation are also involved in bringing Trump down. This would destroy the very fabric of the democratic ideals that America has been founded on.

I am hopeful that disgruntled politicians and compromised journalists will fail but they are playing a dangerous game and care little for the national interest.

DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own.

Blog

The blog will cover current issues ranging from politics to pollution — getting readers to question why India is behind in many aspects. Why do countries like China, Thailand, and Malaysia get more tourism, business and investments? Why do Indians blame history, geography or politicians for all our problems? How can Indians be more responsible? India is one of the most undisciplined countries, but when Indians go abroad they are among the most law abiding people. No Free Lunch will try to provoke readers to debate on how Indians can contribute toward building a better country.

Author

Freelance journalist Ashali Varma has authored the biography of her father late Lt. Gen. PS Bhagat — ‘The Victoria Cross: A Love Story’. She was executive producer with the International Commentary Service Inc, New York in 1990. She was the executive publisher of The Earth Times, New York (1992- 98). She has also worked as the editor of Choices Magazine, United Nations Development Programme. She writes on various issues including human rights, population and sustainable development.

Freelance journalist Ashali Varma has authored the biography of her father late Lt. Gen. PS Bhagat — ‘The Victoria Cross: A Love Story’. She was execu. . .

Blog

The blog will cover current issues ranging from politics to pollution — getting readers to question why India is behind in many aspects. Why do countries like China, Thailand, and Malaysia get more tourism, business and investments? Why do Indians blame history, geography or politicians for all our problems? How can Indians be more responsible? India is one of the most undisciplined countries, but when Indians go abroad they are among the most law abiding people. No Free Lunch will try to provoke readers to debate on how Indians can contribute toward building a better country.

Author

Freelance journalist Ashali Varma has authored the biography of her father late Lt. Gen. PS Bhagat — ‘The Victoria Cross: A Love Story’. She was executive producer with the International Commentary Service Inc, New York in 1990. She was the executive publisher of The Earth Times, New York (1992- 98). She has also worked as the editor of Choices Magazine, United Nations Development Programme. She writes on various issues including human rights, population and sustainable development.

Freelance journalist Ashali Varma has authored the biography of her father late Lt. Gen. PS Bhagat — ‘The Victoria Cross: A Love Story’. She was execu. . .